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Study Abroad in France

Study Abroad in France

This guide should convince you to take your education to the largest country in Europe and one of the world’s most important and famous countries, and delight in all that France has to offer the international student.

Cultural Capital

What does it have to offer? Well, France has pioneered art house movies, modern fashion, visual art, pastries, and wine, something the French people are extremely proud of. Their cultural influence extends to more ‘practical’ inventions such as the taxi, metric system, and antibiotics. France remains important, not looking over its shoulder, hosting some of the largest and most powerful businesses on the planet.

Look outside of Paris

It may be tempting to jump to Paris and study in the capital, ignoring the rest of the country, but Paris is not your only option when choosing to study there. There are plenty of other cities that you can study abroad in if you want to tap out of the fast-paced sophistication of Paris and opt into a slower pace of life, enjoying simpler pleasures. Whilst looking at France to spend your time studying abroad, think of Grenoble, Lille, Lyon or Toulouse as veritable choices. They offer a smaller, vibrant, local city experience.

Welcoming atmosphere

France actively wants to tempt students from across the globe to study within its borders, so the country would be especially welcoming and inviting to you. In recent years, France has made a large effort to recruit more international students. To do so, the French government has simplified the visa process, and in some cases, even offers grants to entice foreign students to study abroad in France. This is great news for any prospective students outside of France and the EU who are nervous about the visa process when studying abroad in France.

Choices abound

As a student, you are spoiled for choice in France. There are over 3,500 higher education institutions within its borders. If you choose to study in the country, you can take your pick from an almost unlimited number of schools, programmes, and locations. You should take full advantage of this opportunity and do whatever your heart desires. For instance, you can study wine management in Dijon, or a programme in innovation or entrepreneurship in Marseille. Regardless of your choice, you are sure to have an incredible time studying abroad in France.

Perfect weather 

Most of France enjoys a temperate climate for most of the year due to its prime location in Europe. Students who don’t like extreme temperatures will find the weather extremely comfortable when studying abroad in France. Because of its geographic diversity, students can find a more Mediterranean climate in the south of France. Or, if the snow is your thing, try the country’s mountainous regions to get a full winter experience. Either way, when you study in France, you will be able to enjoy perfect weather while also visiting a wide variety of exciting new places in the region.

Haute Cuisine

The food in France may be one of the main drivers that brings anyone to France, let alone students. As a student, you’ll be able to sample these delicious delights for as long as you live there. France’s most lasting and pervasive influence on the rest of the world is its food.

Unless you haven’t enjoyed a croissant, some brie on a baguette, or a glass of champagne to celebrate New Year’s Eve (or anything, for that matter), then you are among the few who can honestly say they have never enjoyed or experienced the taste of France. It plays a pivotal role in French society. As an international student, you will struggle to be disappointed by the variety and quality on offer. In addition, the food is unexpectedly affordable.

Study French in France

French is one of the world’s most beautiful, most stereotypically romantic languages, and what better place to learn French than France itself. Studying abroad in France, you will have an incredible opportunity to learn how the language works, how one word flows to the other, how to affect French’s melody through practicing with the locals. Learning another language whilst studying abroad will strengthen your chances both career-wise and friendship-wise. If, however, you have no desire to learn another language, there are many courses that can be taught entirely in English.

The gateway to Europe

France borders six different countries, so studying in France provides the perfect base for travelling across and through Europe. With this choice, you will find yourself not only exploring what France has to offer, but also places such as Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. You can make use and take advantage of France’s affordable, extensive, and efficient transport links and network. Whether on land or through the air, France offers the opportunity to travel regardless of your student budget.

Plus, France’s transportation system is affordable, efficient, and extensive. Therefore, whether by plane, train, or automobile, you can travel the world, even if you’re an international student on a budget.

Negatives of living in France

There are, of course, certain factors that can ward you off living in France as an international student. Many French people have a reputation abroad for being arrogant, the food is not always fantastic, and the weather may not be as temperate as we have said, especially in the northern regions of France. Also, in a cold, arrogant atmosphere, you may not be able to speak in English to anyone easily in France, as locals there tend to speak only French. Because of that, it might be stressful for you to interact with fellow students or local communities, which means that you will have to make the extra effort to learn the language.

SEE ALSO: Study Abroad in Paris

Study Abroad in Paris

Study Abroad in Paris

If you were thinking of studying abroad in Europe, one of the first cities that likely sprung to your mind was The City of Light. It has a magnetic pull that lured the artists, the designers, the thinkers, scientists, musicians, and writers to France’s capital. You can walk the same streets as Hemingway, as Picasso, as Sartre, as de Beauvoir in your year abroad in Paris. Many international students hold this city in their sights as their dream destination for their studies.

There are plenty of reasons why they would do this, as Paris will open your eyes to how millions of people live many miles from you. By studying there, you will be able to immerse yourself in Parisian life. It is a cultural melting pot and the oldest city in Europe. Below are five reasons why you should study abroad in Paris.

Paris has some of the best universities on the planet

By studying in Paris, you will be able to take classes at world-famous universities. World-famous here means world-class education, and you will be able to take your pick from universities such as the Sorbonne (which has been split into 13 autonomous universities, under the heading Paris-Sorbonne University), École Polytechnique, University of Paris, and the Normale Superieure Paris. This is not a comprehensive survey, of course, but you will stand out from the crowd when you list one of Paris’ famed institutions on your CV.

Make sure that, once you are inside these halls of learning, you take advantage of everything that the university and their modules have to offer. The extra-curricular element of your studies is likely what you’ll remember most fondly, as they will offer everything from student clubs to guest lectures, as well as day-trips and internships. You can expect to be taken to Giverny, Versailles, and Fontainebleau, as well as places closer to the centre of Paris, such as to museums, galleries, the opera, or the cinema.

You can study almost anything

Regardless of what you are studying before you leave for Paris, the city has so many courses and programmes that you will find one that satisfies your academic needs and matches your interests. Whether you’re studying economics, education, architecture or art history, you can be certain there will be something for you. The course lengths vary, so you can spend summers or semesters on chosen subjects. There are a number of comprehensive programmes available if you are wanting to immerse yourself in French culture, and you can take courses in French cinema (think Godard, Varda, etc) to key political issues such as immigration. Whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, it is doubtful that you would have a problem finding programmes that fit with your study schedule.

Expense may not be as big an issue as you think

Whilst, yes, Paris is a very expensive place to live, students who will worry about budgeting will still be able to afford to study in the city. Most study abroad programmes in Paris will be expensive, but many of these programmes will include housing, cultural activities, tuition, insurance, and many excursions in the programme fees. This means your money is going a long way. Furthermore, many institutions in Paris, and France more generally, offer discounted or free entry for students. This means you can visit the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, and the Pompidou affordably.Even if a whole year abroad of academic study is out of your monetary reach, many of these programmes offer shorter – seasonal – sessions that can be as short as a single month. Furthermore, you will be able to apply for bursaries and scholarships, as well as receiving help with financial planning.

Learn to speak French

An obvious advantage to studying in Paris is that your French will naturally improve. It is an official language of diplomacy, the official language of the European Union, and one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world – from Paris to Dakar to Marrakech, French comes in useful – so the ability to learn to speak French is a huge advantage across the board. There are many modules available entirely in French, or you can take intensive sessions in order to learn French. The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in the culture, the food, and the people. You’ll start picking it up before you know it!

A previous knowledge of French is often required by many study abroad programmes in Paris. Fear not, nearly every programme has classes to help students of all proficiency improve their French. Organisations will have intensive language and culture courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced speakers.

Its Paris

Paris is often viewed as the most beautiful, most romantic city on Earth. There is a countless array of art, architecture, food, entertainment, fashion, and nightlife for you to enjoy. You can peruse bookshops and walk the road of the artists in Montmartre, sample fresh bread from your local patisserie, sip espresso in Les Deux Magots. The initial culture shock will lay the ground for your personal growth and change.

SEE ALSO: Study Abroad in Prague